When you publish open access, you’ll want to be clear about how your work can be used, shared, and adapted. Key considerations include:
Retaining rights: Some publishers require authors to transfer copyright, while others allow authors to retain key rights or use author addenda (see below).
Choosing a license: Open licenses (such as Creative Commons) allow you to specify how others may reuse your work—for example, whether they must attribute you, whether they may remix it, or whether commercial use is allowed.
Understanding reuse permissions: Even when articles are freely accessible, without a clear license, reuse may be limited.
For further guidance on licensing, adaptation, and using open educational materials, please visit our Open Educational Resources guide.
Author Addenda
An author addendum is a legal amendment you attach to a publisher’s copyright agreement. Its purpose is to retain specific rights that the standard publishing contract might otherwise take away.
Typical rights authors preserve through an addendum include:
The right to deposit a post-print version in an institutional or disciplinary repository
The right to use the article in teaching, course sites, or future works
The right to share the article with colleagues or on a personal website
The right to comply with funder or institutional open access requirements
Using an addendum helps authors avoid fully transferring copyright to the publisher and ensures they can meet open access obligations.
Common examples include addenda from SPARC, Creative Commons–aligned agreements, or institutional addendum templates.
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (Nov 15 version) [Large Language Model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
Open access (OA) refers to the free, immediate, online availability of research outputs, enabling anyone—anywhere in the world—to read, download, and reuse scholarly work without subscription or pay-wall barriers. By publishing open access, faculty enhance the visibility, accessibility, and potential impact of their research, while promoting equity in knowledge sharing.
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (Nov 18 version) [Large Language Model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
Options
Elsevier "What is Open Access" (2025) accessed 11/18/25 What is open access?
Before submitting to a journal, review its author rights and policies. Check:
Whether you may self-archive a pre-print or post-print (Green OA).
Embargo periods and any version restrictions.
Whether the publisher allows retention of copyright or use of an author addendum.
Deposit your work in an institutional or disciplinary repository whenever possible. This ensures long-term preservation, discoverability, and compliance with funder requirements.
Select a Creative Commons license that reflects your intentions for reuse.
For additional guidance, see our Open Educational Resources guide.
If publishing in a Gold OA journal that charges APCs, determine whether:
Your department, college, or university offers APC support;
Your grant includes allowable APC costs;
The journal offers fee waivers or reductions.
Evaluate journals for peer-review rigor, editorial transparency, indexing, and reputation. Watch for red flags associated with predatory publishers. See Cabell's.
Many granting agencies mandate open access within specific timelines. Ensure compliance by reviewing deposit requirements, allowable versions, and license expectations.
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (Nov 18 version) [Large Language Model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
